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Movie Matters Podcast Archive

44 entries in this archive

In Part 2 of our annual Top 10 Films of the Year bonanza, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie continue the countdown and discussion of their favourite movies released in 2016. If you haven’t already, be sure to seek out and listen to Part 1 (covering our picks 10 to 5 plus a whole lot more) before diving into this second instalment.

The bulk of this episode is understandably dedicated to resuming our Top 10 countdown with an appreciation of picks 4, 3 and 2 in our individual lists before finally unveiling and discussing our personal picks for our favourite film of the year.

Also, interspersed throughout the episode is a showcase of the remaining community submissions from the Movie Matters listeners, including an MP3 from James Perkins of GameBurst, The Renaissance Men and The Digital Fix Film Podcast. We also tally up and disclose the results of our usual collated Movie Matters Listener Top 10 Fave Films of the Year and other related categories based on all submissions received. Once again, we thank again each and every one of you who participated in sending in your own list for this special two-parter.

We also take the opportunity to briefly name and shame our least liked UK 2016 releases (expect our customarily controversial picks). Plus we highlight our honourable mentions - the films that narrowly got pushed out of our Top 10s. Moreover, we give a quick mention for our favourite TV shows broadcast in the past twelve months and our most cherished home video releases of the year. To close, we offer a mini-preview of the upcoming 2017 UK releases we are most keen to see.

The music in this episode is sampled from a selection of films eligible for inclusion in our Top 10 lists. We’ll keep the identities of the tracks a mystery, but why not try and guess the films as these musical cues appear throughout the show?

We hope you enjoy listening to parts one and two of the Movie Matters Top 10 Films of 2016 special. Do let us know your thoughts on our lists and any other feedback you’d care to give us by sending an email to moviematterspodcast@gmail.com or leaving a comment on our website. Thank you.

The 2017 film awards season has now been and gone, and whether you enjoyed the glitz and glamour or despaired at the lack of representation of your personal favourite movies of the year, Movie Matters belatedly kicks off another year of film appreciation and discussion with Part One of a two-part special celebrating our take on the past year in cinema.

In Part one, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie count down numbers 10 to 5 of their Top 10 favourite films of 2016 lists. We also share two batches of listener lists, featuring MP3s from Lapsed Gamer Radio’s Cevin Moore and Dan Sardella of Focus on Film. This first instalment of our annual year in review epic closes with us highlighting some of our biggest disappointments and most pleasant surprises.

Stay tuned for Part Two, where we reveal our Top 4 through 1 films, more listener lists, a 2017 preview and more...

Note: During this episode Lee refers to a beloved childhood animated movie as “Animal Olympics”. Contrary to his admittedly hazy memory, this was NOT a Disney film but a 1980 Warner Bros. movie called ANIMALYMPICS.

The music in this episode is sampled from a selection of films eligible for inclusion in our Top 10 lists. We’ll keep the identities of the tracks a mystery, but why not try and guess the films as these musical cues appear throughout the show?

We would like to once again thank our loyal and esteemed listeners, many of whom answered our call and kindly submitted their own text and audio lists this year. Don’t worry if you don’t hear your list on Part One. Rest assured it will be included on the forthcoming Part Two.

Greetings, listeners! A smorgasbord of seasonal spooktacular scintillations awaits you as co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie tackle two distinctly different but nonetheless thematically linked festive horror treats. First up is KRAMPUS, Michael Dougherty’s 2015 tale of warring families and malevolent demons, followed by THE CHILDREN, Tom Shankland’s 2008 survival horror about the New Year party from hell. As is our custom, we also exchange gifts in our attempts to plug any noticeable gaps in each other’s 2016 viewing.

If you haven’t already done so, please consider submitting your own “Top 10 of 2016” lists for inclusion in our annual round-up, to be recorded early in the new year. The deadline is Saturday 14th January. Full details can be found in this post. See also our own still-growing eligibility list of titles.

And, if you fancy giving us a Christmas gift, why not leave us a review on our NEW iTunes feed? For every one we receive, we’re giving away a random DVD or BD from our collections.

The music in this episode is from ARTHUR CHRISTMAS by Harry Gregson-Williams, KRAMPUS by Douglas Pipes and THE CHILDREN by Stephen Hilton. Special thanks to Cevin Moore for the custom intro and outro themes.

It’s that special time of the year once again as the Movie Matters Podcast rises from the coffin for its seventh annual Halloween special. Lee Howard, Michael Mackenzie and guest host Daniel Sardella (of the Media Meltdown network’s Focus on Film podcast) cast their critical eyes over three fang-tastic vampire films: Roman Polanski’s 1967 horror-comedy THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (a.k.a. DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES), Kathryn Bigelow’s haunting 1987 vampire-western NEAR DARK, and Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s funnybone-tingling 2014 mockumentary WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS.

Three spooktacular horror DVDs and BDs are also up for grabs. Listen to the end for details of how to enter the competition!

The music in this episode is from THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS by Krzysztof Komeda, NEAR DARK by Tangerine Dream, and WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS by Norma Tanega. The intro and outro music was composed by Cevin Moore.

Special thanks to Cevin Moore, Alan @ Halloween Fury and Tristan Lofting for their opinions on our three featured movies. Happy Halloween, everybody! Be scared but be safe.

Today’s instalment of the Movie Matters Podcast sees co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie taking a look at a pair of thrillers from the heyday of Italian cult cinema, both starring distinctive American actress Mimsy Farmer. First up, we begin by discussing Farmer’s career and unique appeal with special help from friend of the show, author Troy Howarth (SO DEADLY, SO PERVERSE). We then cover two distinctly different films which nonetheless share a great many characteristics: 1974’s THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK and 1975’s AUTOPSY.

The music in today’s episode is from THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK by Nicola Piovani, and AUTOPSY and FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET by Ennio Morricone.

Special thanks to Troy Howarth, Sandy Richardson, Leonard Jacobs, Andrew Liverod, Torsten Luth and Cevin Moore for their thoughts on today’s featured films, and to Ian Hill for his feedback on our recent Luciano Ercoli/Nieves Navarro double bill.

Death walks onto Movie Matters this month as we indulge in some fun and frivolity in this Luciano Ercoli and Nieves Navarro aka Susan Scott giallo triple-bill. Join us as we ogle THE FORBIDDEN PHOTOS OF A LADY ABOVE SUSPICION (1970), shimmy and simmer when DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS (1971) and countdown to our demise via spiked glove to the face as DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT (1972).

Plus we have our own ‘star’ cameo as author and giallo expert Troy Howarth kindly introduces and offers an overview of our featured director, Luciano Ercoli, and his beloved leading lady, the inimitable Nieves Navarro.

We also belatedly respond to some listener feedback and have a glut of new DVD/BD winners in our Movie Matters random lucky dip. To enter, simply leave us a review on iTunes and a DVD/BD from our personal collections will be yours!

The music in today’s episode is from Ennio Morricone’s score (feat. Edda Dell’Orso) for THE FORBIDDEN PHOTOS OF A LADY ABOVE SUSPICION, Stelvio Cipriani’s music (feat. Nora Orlandi) for DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS and DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT by Gianni Ferrio (feat. Mina).

The dust has now settled on another year in film, the Oscars are imminent and in our unashamedly delayed fashion we bring you our first Movie Matters recording of the New Year, dedicated to our subjective perspectives on the films of 2015. Between us, we’ve watched and rewatched a range of 2015 UK releases and made the difficult decisions necessary to whittle them down to our personal Top 10 movies of the year.

In addition to our Top 10s, we also try to squeeze in mentions of our most pleasant surprises, our biggest disappointments, our worst films of the year and name-check those films which narrowly missed out on our respective Top 10s that we deem worthy of an honourable mention. Plus, we highlight a number of hotly-anticipated 2016 films in our watchlists for the coming year.

We would like to once again thank our loyal and esteemed listeners, many of whom answered our call and kindly submitted their own text and audio lists this year. It is our pleasure to feature them all on this show and, as has become our custom, a collated listener’s list – adding all the votes together – will be published on the Movie Matters website and the Movie Matters LetterBoxd account in the coming days. Thank you all for being part of our continued, shared celebration and appreciation of cinema.

So here we are, twelve short months since the last time, and we ask you once again to get yourselves comfy, settle in for the long-haul and let us be your guides as we share our many delights, a few despairs and possibly even an isolated diatribe as we discuss, in-depth, the year in film that was 2015.

The music in this episode is sampled from a selection of films eligible for inclusion in our Top 10 lists. We’ll keep the identities of the tracks a mystery, but why not try and guess the films as these musical cues appear throughout the show?

Happy New Year, listeners! Using the wonders of time travel, granted via the magic of editing and our characteristic sporadic podcast release schedule, we bring you back to Christmas of the very recent past with our nearly annual Movie Matters Christmas show.

As is our seasonal custom, we begin by exchanging what were early Christmas gifts, before proceeding to featured discussions of those films. We also catch up on any festive viewing we have enjoyed and what 2015 release cramming we have squeezed in ahead of our upcoming ‘Films of the Year’ special. Finally, we conduct the first batch of the Movie Matters listener random BD/DVD lucky dip draw. To enter, simply leave us a review on our NEW iTunes Feed.

If you would like to contribute a list for our next show — our annual Films of the Year special — please send a short MP3 (5 mins max) or a text list, counting down your Top 10 Films, as well as a name-checking for your biggest disappointment, most pleasant surprise and worst movie of the year, to our email address: moviematterspodcast@gmail.com — deadline Saturday 9th January.

The music in this episode is sampled from NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (Lindsey Buckingham), A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (Federale; White Lies), STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (John Williams), THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY (Cat’s Eyes), the KRAMPUS rendition of Auld Lang Syne (Douglas Pipes), and Disney’s rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.

Hello again listeners! After a slight delay, we bring you our hotly anticipated Bond double bill, in which we discuss the recent UK box-office busting SPECTRE alongside the much loved albeit divisive ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE.

We also outline the plan — or fumble our way to some such arrangement — for the forthcoming random BD/DVD lucky dip draw for those generous listeners who have left us a review on our NEW iTunes Feed. There’s still time to get a BD/DVD shaped gift from us, so please take a few minutes to write a review.

A special thank you to Tony Black of the Pick A Flick and The X-Cast podcasts for his MP3 submission. As an avid fan of the Bond series he was able to offer another perspective on our two featured films.

The music sampled in this episode is from SPECTRE (Sam Smith, Thomas Newman) and ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (John Barry).

Rather fortuitously, ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE is regarded by some as ideal seasonal viewing, but we should point out that this isn’t the Movie Matters Christmas special. We’ll be releasing that show a little later than usual this year, but if nothing else at least it will give you one last gift to unwrap after the indulgences and good cheer begin to subside come the New Year.

We’re now also turning out thoughts to our annual bumper review of the year special due to be recorded in January and would welcome any submissions from our listeners. So either send in a text list or short MP3 (5 minutes max) counting down your Top 10 favourite films of the year, as well as your biggest disappointment, most pleasant surprise and absolute worst movie of 2015. All lists to go to moviematterspodcast@gmail.com by the deadline of Saturday 9th January, 2016.

Until then, a very jolly Merry Christmas from us, thanks for supporting us by listening, and we hope you have a healthy and prosperous 2016.

Slight correction: In the discussion of SPECTRE, I (Michael) claimed that its UK box office takings had eclipsed those of AVATAR. In actual fact, this refers only to these films’ IMAX releases.

For this, the sixth annual Movie Matters Halloween special, Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie welcome back to the hosting chair Demented Danman aka Focus on Film’s Daniel Sardella. On this occasion we give our autumnal ‘frightivities’ a twist of yellow as we hand-pick three gialli to dissect and discuss.

The movies under the analytical knife in this ‘Gialloween’ triple bill are: Paolo Cavara’s stylishly sadistic THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA (1971), Massimo Dallamano’s undeniably sleazy but still deeply affecting ‘schoolgirls in peril’ mystery WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? (1972), and finally an ‘American giallo’, the deliriously unhinged and highly controversial psychosexual thriller DRESSED TO KILL (1980), directed by Movie Matters favourite Brian De Palma.

In between the featured reviews, we also catch up on what other gialli and horror films we’ve seen in the month of October and any 2015 horror movie highlights seen recently.

We’d like to thank friend of the podcast and author Troy Howarth for again supplying us with insightful written contributions and all of the Movie Matters community who kindly shared their Halloween horror viewing experiences with us. Plus we’re delighted to belatedly share the ‘All Giallo’s Eve’ spirit by including some fantastic artwork designed by Movie Matters logo creator Rich Wells. We surely speak for many when we wish we could have bundled round to Rich’s house to join him in watching these gialli and sip J&B as we play an unmistakably Italian variant of Top Trumps!

The music in this episode is sampled from HALLOWEEN by John Carpenter, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? and THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA by Ennio Morricone, and DRESSED TO KILL by Pino Donaggio.

Love him or loathe him, Steven Spielberg is arguably the most influential filmmaker working today. Who else commands such clout in Tinseltown, and what other director’s very name serves as a guaranteed box office draw, even among non-cinephiles? We’re proud to finally turn our attention to this most esteemed of filmmakers, subjecting three of what are arguably his most unfairly overlooked films of the previous decade to the traditional Movie Matters treatment: MINORITY REPORT and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, both from 2002, and 2005’s MUNICH.

Joining regular hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie is Focus on Film co-host Daniel Sardella, along with a specially recorded appreciation of DUEL by Black Hole Cinema’s Tony Black.

The music in this episode is sampled from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, MINORITY REPORT, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, MUNICH, JAWS and E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, all composed by John Williams.

Ciao and welcome to another Italian genre cinema themed instalment of the Movie Matters Podcast. In this episode, join Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie as we champion the work of often overlooked 1960s/1970s filmmaker Luigi Bazzoni. First, we feast our eyes over one of the most visually distinct gialli ever filmed in 1971’s THE FIFTH CORD, starring Franco Nero, Silvia Monti, Pamela Tiffin and a host of familiar euro-genre stalwarts. We’re then taken on a hallucinatory mind-trip in 1975’s baffling but beautiful FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON (a.k.a LE ORME), starring Florinda Bolkan, Nicoletta Elmi, Evelyn Stewart/Ida Galli, Peter McEnery and Klaus Kinski.

In this episode we also refer to and read-out a range of insights and opinions offered by our esteemed listeners in relation to Luigi Bazzoni and his films. Specifically, we’d like to direct attention to an excellent overview of Bazzoni’s career written by Jason Coffman which can be read in full here. Jason also wrote to us and provided invaluable information regarding Bazzoni’s obscure epic-length documentary about Roman culture and its historical influence on civilisation — details and images of which can be accessed here with his blessing. Plus, new listener of the podcast Peter (a.k.a. @SignorWardh), provided us with a fascinating comparison between THE FIFTH CORD and the David McDonald Devine source novel in an email to us which he has given permission for us to make available to all our listeners here.

The music in this episode is sampled from THE FIFTH CORD by Ennio Morricone, MAN, PRIDE AND VENGEANCE by Carlo Rustichelli, FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON by Nicola Piovani and THE SHORT AND HAPPY LIFE OF THE BROTHERS BLUE by Tony Renis.

Links for reference:

Lapsed Gamer Radio - check out (and volunteer to take part) in Lee’s new videogame community podcast at Podbean and iTunes

British Film Collectors Convention - a Facebook group recommended by Paul Dann - a treasure trove for images, Super 8 film and contextual information on the rich legacy of film from a collector’s point of view

Michael’s analysis of the French BD release of A LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN

The listeners have spoken and we have listened! The Movie Matters Podcast is ramping up its coverage of all things giallo, starting with this double feature exploring the films of Lucio Fulci. Join Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie as they examine two of the Godfather of Gore’s most distinctive contributions to the genre: 1969’s erotic melodrama ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER (a.k.a. PERVERSION STORY), starring Jean Sorel, Elsa Martinelli and Marisa Mell, and 1977’s tale of psychic paranoia MURDER TO THE TUNE OF THE SEVEN BLACK NOTES (a.k.a. THE PSYCHIC or SEVEN NOTES IN BLACK), starring Jennifer O’Neill, Marc Porel and Gianni Garko.

This episode also includes an overview of the conventions of the more erotically charged gialli epitomised by ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, and contributions from a range of listeners and giallo connoisseurs.

The music in this episode is sampled from ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER by Riz Ortolani and MURDER TO THE TUNE OF THE SEVEN BLACK NOTES by Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi and Vince Tempera.

Today on the Movie Matters Podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie fill in a couple of glaring gaps in Lee’s film viewing and take a look at two unique and distinctly different animated directorial debuts from the late 90s/early 00s united by shared themes of alienation, loss, suspicion towards outsiders and the need for tolerance: Brad Bird (THE INCREDIBLES, RATATOUILLE)’s critically acclaimed cult classic THE IRON GIANT and Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON)’s irreverent LILO & STITCH. We also trade notes on the various holes in our animated viewing experiences.

The music in this episode is sampled from THE IRON GIANT by Michael Kamen and LILO & STITCH by Alan Silvestri.

In this, the 30th instalment of the Movie Matters Podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie return to a subject close to both their hearts -- that most distinctive of moments, the Italian giallo. Two radically different examples of the genre are up for consideration, both from 1972 -- Sergio Martino’s giallo/occult hybrid ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK, starring the golden couple of Edwige Fenech and George Hilton, and Aldo Lado’s sombre, Venetian thriller WHO SAW HER DIE?, starring George Lazenby and Anita Strindberg. In addition to covering the aforementioned two films in depth, we also hear listener Leonard Jacobs’s thoughts on ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK, and catch up on some of our recent viewing and future plans for the podcast.

The music in this episode is sampled from THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH by Nora Orlandi, THE CASE OF THE SCORPION’S TAIL and ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK by Bruno Nicolai, and WHO SAW HER DIE? and SHORT NIGHT OF THE GLASS DOLLS by Ennio Morricone.

It’s that time again. A range of films have been watched and rewatched, tough decisions made and our selections finalised. So let’s kick-off the first Movie Matters recording of 2015 with our annual in-depth discussion of the past 12 months in film. Join co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie as we reveal our personal top ten films of 2014. We also discuss some of our most pleasant surprises, our biggest disappointments and our worst films of the year. Plus we highlight a number of films which narrowly missed out on our respective Top 10s that we deem worthy of an honourable mention.

Once again this year, our loyal and esteemed listeners answered our call and kindly submitted their own text and audio lists: it is our pleasure to feature them all on this “bumper-size” review of the year special. Like last year, a collated listeners’ list -- adding all the votes together -- will be published on the Movie Matters blog and the Movie Matters LetterBoxd account in the coming days. Thank you all for being part of our continued, shared celebration and appreciation of all matters film!

So get comfy, settle in and let us be your guides as we delight, despair and dissect the year in film that was 2014.

‘Tis the season to be jolly, so put on your Santa hats, draw a seat up to the fire and roast some chestnuts as co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie exchange gifts and put them under the microscope. The theme this year is documentaries, and the two films being discussed are as different as they are enthralling. First up is Werner Herzog’s celebrated GRIZZLY MAN, about the life and death of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. Up next is EUROCRIME! - THE ITALIAN COP AND GANGSTER FILMS THAT RULED THE ‘70S, Mike Malloy’s ambitious and exhaustively detailed ode to the Italian poliziesco movement.

This episode also includes a catch-up on films we’ve watched recently and those that we’re looking forward to catching in the run-up to our upcoming end of year review episode.

The music in this episode is sampled from A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, GRIZZLY MAN, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, EUROCRIME! and THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL.

For the fifth annual Movie Matters Halloween special, podcast founders and regular hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie cede control of the ghoulish proceedings to Demented Danman, a.k.a. Daniel Sardella. In keeping with tradition, the three partners-in-crime cast a leering eye over three ghastly horror treats: Robert Wise’s 1963 chiller THE HAUNTING, Sean Byrne’s 2009 EVIL DEAD-inspired horror-comedy THE LOVED ONES, and Richard Bates Jr.’s 2012 Cronenbergian body shocker EXCISION. In addition, they also discuss some of 2014’s horror-themed highlights, both in cinemas and on Blu-ray.

The music in this episode is sampled from HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth, THE LOVED ONES by Kasey Chambers, HALLOWEEN H20: TWENTY YEARS LATER by John Ottman, EXCISION by Nina Nastasia, UNDER THE SKIN by Mica Levi, and HALLOWEEN II by The Chordettes.

Join us for the latest instalment of the Movie Matters podcast, as co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie don their tiaras and step into the realms of magic and make-believe to put the two most recent Disney princess animated features -- 2011’s TANGLED and 2013’s FROZEN -- under the microscope. In addition to discussing these two recent CGI blockbusters, Lee and Michael also discuss their own history with the Disney studio’s output as a whole -- hand-drawn and computer generated -- and delve into the mailbag to present feedback from the listeners on their own personal favourite Disney princess movies.

The show also includes our now-customary “What We’ve Been Watching” section, in which we trade notes on films of note that we’ve recently seen.

The music in this episode is sampled from ENCHANTED by Alan Menken, TANGLED by Alan Menken and FROZEN by Christophe Beck.

In the latest episode of the Movie Matters podcast, returning to the airwaves after a brief hiatus, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie explore the work of maverick director William Friedkin through two distinctly different films: 2006’s chilling shocker BUG, starring Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon, and the 1985 crime thriller TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., starring William Petersen and Willem Dafoe. In addition, we also provide an overview of Friedkin’s career as a director and recount our own relationships with his output.

The music in this episode is sampled from KILLER JOE by Tyler Bates, THE EXORCIST by Mike Oldfield, SORCERER by Tangerine Dream, JADE by James Horner and TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. by Wang Chung.

In the first Movie Matters recording of 2014 we deliver our annual ‘bumper-size’ retrospective on the past 12 months in film. Join co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie as we count down our personal top ten films of 2013. We also catch up on our Christmas movie viewing and trade notes on our customary exchange of BD-shaped gifts. In addition, we name and shame some of the biggest disappointments and worst films of the year as well as highlighting those movies which succeeded or failed for our loyal listeners. Finally, we round out this extended special episode by looking ahead to the coming months and cherry pick some of our most anticipated films for this year.

The music in this episode is sampled from a selection of films eligible for inclusion in our Top 10 lists, but we shall say no more in the interest of maintaining an air of mystery!

PS. As ever, we’re keen to hear from you. What films are you most looking forward to in 2014? Did you agree or disagree strongly with the views expressed in this show or have any other responses to our Top 10s to share with us? Plus, what did you think of the structure of this ‘Year in Review’ episode? Did you like the new collated listener lists or would you rather see a return to the previous format of having the listeners’ lists read out in full - be it kept separate or interspersed with the hosts’ Top 10s? Let us know as we’re still experimenting with how best to present these epic-length instalments each year. Thanks for listening and being part of Movie Matters.

After an unavoidable hiatus, the Movie Matters podcast returns, better late than never, for its fourth annual Halloween special. Joining co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie once again is special guest Daniel Sardella. The trio look at an eclectic line-up of frightful festivities, starting with Michael Stephenson’s 2012 Halloween Documentary THE AMERICAN SCREAM before going on to explore Stuart Gordon’s 1986 cult classic FROM BEYOND and ending with Rob Zombie’s controversial 2012 tale of demonic possession, THE LORDS OF SALEM. Also discussed are Halloween traditions and viewing habits, as well as a rundown of recent horror-themed Blu-ray releases of note.

Featuring music from HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (John Carpenter and Alan Howarth), FROM BEYOND (Richard Band), HALLOWEEN and HALLOWEEN II (John Carpenter), and THE LORDS OF SALEM (John 5 and Griffin Boice).

The Movie Matters podcast returns for an in-depth look at two strikingly similar but remarkably different films: Alain Corneau’s 2010 thriller LOVE CRIME (CRIME D’AMOUR), starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier, and its English-language remake, 2012’s PASSION, directed by Brian De Palma and starring Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace.

Co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie also discuss films of note that they have recently watched. (Note: publication of this episode was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, hence the “recent” films discussed being a couple of months old.)

Music from PASSION by Pino Donaggio and LOVE CRIME by Pharoah Sanders.

In the latest instalment of the Movie Matters podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie turn their attention to two distinctly different projects featuring the talented and chameleon-like Gillian Anderson: director James Marsh and writer Tom Bradby’s 2012 political thriller SHADOW DANCER, starring Andrea Riseborough and Clive Owen, and director Jakub Verbruggen and writer Allan Cubitt’s gripping 2013 mini-series THE FALL. Both share an actress and a setting, Northern Ireland, but there the similarities end.

The podcast also provides the co-hosts with an opportunity to catch up on other films they’ve been watching recently.

Music from SHADOW DANCER by Dickon Hinchliffe and THE FALL by Unloved.

Additional links:

SHADOW DANCER

Interview with actor Aidan Gillen about socio-political context of Belfast at The Guardian

We’re back, doing what we do best, discussing cult Italian murder-mystery cinema. In this much anticipated (well, by us at any rate) return episode co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie ‘come home’ by taking an in-depth look at the Oscar-winning, satirical crime-drama INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION (1970) directed by Elio Petri and Lucio Fulci’s hallucinatory and erotically charged giallo A LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN (1971), both of which star Brazilian beauty Florinda Bolkan.

We also take a brief pause to highlight what new releases have caught our attention in the first six months of 2013 as well as casting an eye over a selection of recent BD/DVD purchases.

The audio and music sampled in this episode is taken from INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION and A LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN. Both scored by Ennio Morricone with orchestration by Bruno Nicolai.

The article by Gino Moliterno about INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION referred to on the show can be accessed here.

The two highly recommended books we reference during our discussions are:

Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci by Stephen Thrower and published by FAB Press

La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film by Mikel J. Koven and published by The Scarecrow Press

Later than intended and longer than anticipated, the Movie Matters podcast returns for its first instalment of the new year. In the first part of this bumper six-hour epic, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie count down their personal top ten films of the previous year, celebrating both the very best and worst that 2012 had to offer. In part two, the attention shifts to the listeners’ choices as Lee and Michael read out and listen to MP3s of submitted Top 10 lists, before turning their attention to the year ahead, revealing their most anticipated films of the next twelve months.

The music in this episode is all sampled from films in our Top 10 lists.

PS. Listeners, we want YOUR feedback. What do you think of the format for this year’s show? Do you like the listeners’ lists being kept separate, or would you prefer them to be interspersed with the hosts’ Top 10 lists? Do you like the show being split into two instalments, or would you prefer just to have a single MP3 file? Let us know how this experiment was for you, and we’ll take any suggestions into consideration this time next year when we come to do our “best of 2013” show.

In the third annual Movie Matters Christmas special, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie exchange and review seasonal gifts: Ron Howard’s FROST/NIXON and Michele Placido’s ANGELS OF EVIL, two well-received recent films based around real life historical figures. In addition, Lee and Michael select and announce a winner for the BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW Blu-ray competition.

The music sampled in this episode is from THE POLAR EXPRESS by Alan Silvestri, SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT by Morgan Ames and Doug Thiele, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION 2: EDDIE’S ISLAND ADVENTURE by Nathan Furst, FROST/NIXON by Hans Zimmer, and ANGELS OF EVIL by Negramaro.

All Hallows’ Eve descends on the Movie Matters podcast as co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie, accompanied by special guest Daniel Sardella, brave the terrors of three spine-tingling horror movies in the show’s third annual Halloween special: Ti West’s THE INNKEEPERS, the horror anthology THE THEATRE BIZARRE, and Richard Donner’s classic THE OMEN.

This episode also features Movie Matters’ first ever competition, open to all listeners worldwide. Listen to the show for details on how to win a Blu-ray Disc of one of the films covered in a previous episode...

The music sampled in this episode is from THE THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Danny Elfman, THE INNKEEPERS by Jeff Grace, THE THEATRE BIZARRE by Pierre Marchand and THE OMEN by Jerry Goldsmith.

Co-hosts Lee Howard and an uncharacteristically cantankerous Michael Mackenzie take a look at two of the science fiction genre’s more unusual and divisive offerings from recent years: Panos Cosmatos’ dark, dystopian BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW and William Eubank’s ambitious meditation on the human condition, LOVE. Lee and Michael also catch up on films they’ve been watching recently and upcoming cinema releases they’re looking forward to.

The music sampled in this episode is from BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW by Jeremy Schmidt and LOVE by Angels & Airwaves.

After an unexpected hiatus, the Movie Matters podcast returns with a look at the RED RIDING trilogy, the critically acclaimed 2009 adaptation of David Peace’s grim and grisly quartet of novels. Co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie look at each instalment in turn - Julian Jarrold’s 1974, James Marsh’s 1980 and Anand Tucker’s 1983 - and offer their thoughts on the trilogy as a whole.

The music sampled in this episode is from RED RIDING: 1974 by Adrian Johnston, RED RIDING: 1980 by Dickon Hinchliffe and RED RIDING: 1983 by Barrington Pheloung.

In this bumper length special edition of the Movie Matters podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie cast their eyes back over the previous twelve months, celebrating the best (and worst) of 2011. In addition to their own personal Top 10 lists, the duo also reveal lists submitted by listeners and pick out some anticipated titles for the coming year.

The music sampled in this episode is from HANNA, DRIVE, TRUE GRIT, ARRIETTY, 13 ASSASSINS, ANGELS OF EVIL and BLACK SWAN.

Please note that we have NOT been able to play every single MP3 list we received. The response was far greater than we were expecting and some of the submitted MP3s were a little on the long side, which would have resulted in what was already a four-hour epic being extended to somewhere approaching the five-hour mark. As a result, we have played the first three MP3s we received and are holding the rest back for a standalone mini-episode to be made available in the near future. We hope you understand and are not too disappointed not to have had your clips featured in the episode itself.

The Movie Matters podcast returns for its final episode of 2011. In this special Christmas instalment, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie exchange gifts, casting an eye on French actor turned filmmaker Guillaume Canet’s adaptation of American crime author Harlan Coben’s TELL NO ONE (NE LE DIS À PERSONNE) and Martin McDonagh’s celebrated black comedy IN BRUGES, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases of note are also covered, and another Blu-ray Disc enters the Movie Matters Hall of Fame.

The music sampled in this episode is from IL DULCI JUBILO, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION, TELL NO-ONE, SCROOGED, HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

In this episode of the Movie Matters podcast, regular co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie are joined by special guest Daniel Sardella to discuss the films of Brian De Palma. The three hosts cast an eye over three of the equally celebrated and derided filmmaker’s most infamous thrillers - SISTERS, BLOW OUT and BODY DOUBLE - and induct another Blu-ray transfer into the Movie Matters Hall of Fame.

The music sampled in this episode is all from THE UNTOUCHABLES by Ennio Morricone, FEMME FATALE by Ryuichi Sakamoto, SISTERS and OBSESSION by Bernard Herrmann, and RAISING CAIN, BLOW OUT and BODY DOUBLE by Pino Donaggio.

The Movie Matters podcast returns after an impromptu extended hiatus with a Halloween special and promises of a more frequent recording schedule going forward. In this spine-tingling episode, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie cast their eyes over horror movies old and new, discussing Wes Craven’s SCREAM 4, Neil Marshall’s THE DESCENT and Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg’s POLTERGEIST.

The music sampled in this episode is all from HALLOWEEN by John Carpenter, THE DESCENT by David Julyan, and THE EXORCIST by Mike Oldfield.

As mentioned in the podcast, here are some comparisons between the two different colour grades of THE DESCENT.

Please note that some minor audio interference may be audible in the earliest parts of the episode. This was due to failing equipment that has since been replaced and should not be a problem in future episodes.

In the latest episode of the Movie Matters podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie embark on an adventure as they set off on the long journey of discussing and reflecting upon the strengths, weaknesses and enduring cinematic achievement of New Line Cinema’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING. In addition to reviewing the films themselves, the hosts also share how they first became acquainted with the world of Middle-Earth, cast their eyes over the recent Extended Edition Blu-ray Disc release of the trilogy, and read out listener comments on all things LORD OF THE RINGS.

The music sampled in this episode is all from THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING by Howard Shore. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

Please note that this episode suffers from some unavoidable audio interference during its first half as a result of a technical gaffe (a.k.a. not plugging the microphone in properly). We hope that these imperfections don’t impair your enjoyment of the episode.

As mentioned in the podcast, here is the summary of the screenplay for the aborted John Boorman adaptation of the books.

In the latest episode of the Movie Matters podcast, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie take the Left Hand Path as they delve into the world of the supernatural, examining two adaptations by the renowned Hammer studio of the black magic novels of the prolific Dennis Wheatley, 1968’s THE DEVIL RIDES OUT and 1976’s TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER. The hosts also discuss significant movies that have so far eluded them in a “Never Seen But Should Have” feature, cast their eyes over recent Blu-ray and DVD releases, and induct another Blu-ray transfer into the Movie Matters Hall of Fame.

The music sampled in this episode is from THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (James Bernard), THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (James Bernard), HORROR OF DRACULA (James Bernard) and THE MUMMY (Franz Reizenstein).

In this special giallo-themed episode of the Movie Matters podcast, regular hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie welcome special guest and giallo enthusiast Sandy “The Gialli Fan” Richardson of the Dark Dreams web site to discuss that unique brand of Italian murder-mystery thrillers from the 70s. In addition to delving into three films by the “big three” giallo directors - Mario Bava’s BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, Lucio Fulci’s DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING and Dario Argento’s DEEP RED - Lee, Michael and Sandy also count down the top 10 giallo films as submitted by the listeners, reveal their own personal favourites and suggest some must-have giallo DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases.

Please note that this podcast contains spoilers for the films featured.

The music sampled in this episode is from DEEP RED (Giorgio Gaslini and Goblin), OPERA (Claudio Simonetti), BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (Carlo Rustichelli), THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH (Nora Orlandi), DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING (Riz Ortolani), WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? (Ennio Morricone), STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER (Berto Pisano), THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS (Bruno Nicolai) and THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (Ennio Morricone). Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

The long-overdue seventh instalment of the Movie Matters podcast arrives in the form of a Danny Boyle special, looking at the two latest instalments in the gifted director’s diverse filmography: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and 127 HOURS. Co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie also discuss this year’s Oscar results, take a look at this month’s new DVD and Blu-ray releases, and induct another nominee into the Blu-ray Hall of Fame.

The music sampled in this episode is from 127 HOURS (“The Funeral” by Band of Horses and “Never Hear Surf Music Again” by Free Blood) and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (by A.R. Rahman), as well as the latest addition to the Blu-ray hall of fame. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

The Movie Matters podcast continues with a Darren (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) Aronofsky special, putting his latest film, the critically acclaimed BLACK SWAN, under the microscope, as well as his previous offering, the similarly acclaimed THE WRESTLER.

The music sampled in this episode is from BLACK SWAN (Clint Mansell/Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) and THE WRESTLER (Clint Mansell), as well as the latest addition to the Blu-ray hall of fame. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

In the first Movie Matters episode of 2011, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie cast they eyes over the best (and some of the worst) films of 2010, counting down their ten favourites of the past year. The listeners also get their time in the spotlight with their own personal lists.

With over 2 hours and 45 minutes of banter, this is the biggest Movie Matters episode yet!

The music sampled in this episode is from SHUTTER ISLAND (Symphony No. 3, 4th Movement: Passacaglia - Allegro Moderato by Krzysztof Penderecki), AMER (from WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS? by Stelvio Cipriani), KICK-ASS (the Prodigy), the Millennium trilogy (Jacob Groth) and TOY STORY 3 (Randy Newman). Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

The Movie Matters podcast returns for its final episode of 2010. Co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie exchange Christmas presents, tackling Frank Darabont’s THE MIST and Roman Polanski’s THE GHOST (a.k.a. THE GHOST WRITER). We also discuss upcoming Blu-ray and DVD releases of interest, induct another title into the Blu-ray Hall of Fame, and discuss the films we tend to watch over the festive period.

The music sampled in this episode is from HOME ALONE (John Williams), THE GOONIES (Dave Grusin) and TOY STORY (Randy Newman), with clips from THE MIST and THE GHOST. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

The Movie Matters podcast returns with a special themed episode focussing on the “video nasties” phenomenon. In the third instalment, co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie examine Jake West’s new documentary Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape, and then take on the nasty to end all nasties, Meir Zarchi’s controversial I Spit on Your Grave. We also discuss upcoming Blu-ray and DVD releases of interest, induct another title into the Blu-ray Hall of Fame, and ponder the question: “Do you get scared by horror movies?”

The music sampled in this episode is from What Have You Done to Solange? (Ennio Morricone), Videodrome (Howard Shore), Alien (Jerry Goldsmith) and Inferno (Keith Emerson), with clips from Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape and the theatrical trailer for I Spit on Your Grave. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

All Hallows’ Eve descends on the all-new Movie Matters podcast as co-hosts Lee Howard and Michael Mackenzie and special guest Rich Birkett of the Dedicated To Gamers podcast discuss three spooky seasonal treats: The House of the Devil, Trick ‘r Treat and The Exorcist. We also recommend five particularly impressive Blu-ray horror releases.

The music sampled in this episode is from Suspiria (Goblin), The House of the Devil (Jeff Grace), Trick ‘r Treat (Douglas Pipes), The Exorcist (Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells), Halloween (John Carpenter) and The Descent (David Julyan). Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.

Movie Matters is a brand new film discussion and appreciation podcast. In this first episode hosts Lee Howard (Count Fosco) and Michael Mackenzie put recent UK cinema release The Girl Who Played With Fire and the modern classic Se7en under the spotlight. The show also includes coverage of the very best Blu-ray releases in the form of our Image Rankings Hall of Fame.

Music for this episode comes from SE7EN and the Millennium trilogy. Special thanks to David Mackenzie for audio support.